Aspirin The Miracle Medicine

"Regular low dose of daily aspirin, taken over few years, can reduce the chances of developing skin cancer – including squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma", is the results of a recent study from Denmark and the US , published in the journal “Cancer”.

Aspirin hass being used for relief from pain and fever since antiquity as "Salicin" found in leaves and bark of the willow trees.

Hippocrates (460 – 377 BC) has made a note of it. In mid eighteen hundreds the aspirin as we use it today was discovered.

It is the cheapest drug in the market and is known for its wonder effects on our health. And now another miracle is added to its cards – prevention of skin cancer!

Aspirin is believed to counter cancer growth by suppressing inflammatory pathways. Therefore, all other drugs belonging to the class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are also believed to have the same effect.

This is not the first study to show a potential anticancer effect of aspirin. Its role in preventing the spread of many cancers of adults has been documented for considerable time.

The strongest proof of chemo-preventive effect of aspirin is the prevention of metastasis in colorectal cancer.

Daily aspirin intake at any dose below 300 mg/day over 5 years, reduces the mortality due to several cancers.

So, are we ready to recommend aspirin to our children for cancer prevention?

NO.

Though the results of research on daily low dose of aspirin in adults are compelling, I have not found definite similar recommendation for paediatric age group.

Public health initiatives were taken to educate people about the danger of Reye’s syndrome with aspirin ingestion during viral episodes during childhood. This has declined the use of aspirin in children since 1983.

Nevertheless, aspirin is the drug of choice in treatment of some childhood conditions like Kawasaki disease, Polycythemia vera, Rheumatic heart disease and other rheumatologic diseases.